William lachlax



(No Model.)

W. LAGHLAN.

GONSTRUGTIUN OP SBGONDARYBATTBRIES.

Patented Oct. 14, 1884.

N. PETERS. Phawmhugnplmr. wnnhmgmn, D. c.

' y lllivrrnn Starts .arrnvr Ottica@ VILLIAM LAOHLAN, OF 'LOXDON, COUNTYOF MIDDLESEX, ENGLAND, AS- SIGNOR TO JOHN M. PENDLETON, OF NEV YORK, N.Y.

CONSTRUCTION OF SECONARY BATTERIES..

SPCIEICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 306,495, dated Octoberl, 1884.

Application filed March 30, lSzB. (No model.) i

To r/,ZZ whom 1125 may concern ile it known that I, WILLIAM Licirrnx, of

London, in the county of Middlesex, England,

have invented a new and useful Improvement in the Construction ofSecondary Batteries.

io structure of the cellsw-that is to say, to the form and materialofthe containing-vessel,the arrangement of the battery-plates therein,the means for connecting together the plates of like naine, and thecombination of the containing-vessel, cover, battery-plates, andconnecting devices. The principal object is to malte a cell which shallbe durable and acidprooi', and not likely to permit leakage, either o"the battery-liquid or of the electricity, andv 2o which is well adaptedto transportation.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a sectional perspective of acell constructed in accordance with the invention, and Fig. 2 aperspective view of a battery of several cells connected in series andinclosed in a protecting-case.

A is the containingvessehof insulating material-to wit, of blown glass.Blownglass is used because it is stronger in proportion to its weightthan the cast material. rlhe iorni is an oblong rectangular ligure withthe corners and edges rounded, this iorni'having the greatestinteriorcapacity with the smallest liability to chipping or fracture. On thebottom of the vessel are laid the separate insulating-strips B, oi'glassor other suitable material, which in length equal the width ol" thecontaining-vessel, and which are laid across the bottom. On these stripsare placed the battery-plates C D, they extending lengthwise ofthecontaining-vessel. As shown, they are constructed of ahleadl'ilatevmwhich is or may be perforated) coated witli'the activematerial, (red lead or its cquivalent,) and enveloped in a. 5 a feltbag, which is wound with astrip ofrubber or gutta-percha to separate itfrom the adjacent bag. rllhe size and numbervof the battery-plates aresuch that they fill the interior ot' the glass containiiigvessel. Theshifting Vor other alloy of copper.

sel, and permit a free circulation of the bat 55 teryliquid under thelower edges of the saine. The containing-vessel has a cover, E, ofinsulatiug material, usually wood, or it may be oi'vulcanite or otherVsuitable material. Be-

tween the cover and the top edges of the bat- 6o tcry-plates arecross-strips F, of nonfconducting material, (usually wood, and usuallyiastened to the cover.) Their purpose is to secure a free space abovethe plates, without,

however, allowing them to move vertically.

Each of the battery-plates has a tag, which projects out of the teltbag, and by which the plate is connected with the exterior conduct ors.rllhe plates are so arranged that the tags of all the positive plateswill be at one end of 7o the cell, and those of all the negative at theother end. The tags pass through slots in the cover. Those at each endare bent toward the middle longitudinal line of the cover, and,be-

ing interleaved,thcy are clamped together by means ot' theclalnpingscrew G- between the head of said screw and the nut H. The tagsfor the outer plates are left longer than the inner ones, as shown. Awasher, I, is commonly placed between the nut and the top So tag. nihescrew-nut and washer are preferably made ot' copper or of gun-metal,brass, Each screw is provided with an additional thumb-nut, l, for

connecting t-he plates with the exterior' con- S5 ductor, L, Fig. 2,which is preferably a ilat metal strip of good conductivity. Severalcells thus constructed are usually placed in awooden case, lli, Fig. L),andseparated by strips of rubber or other material, to prevent 9ocontact between the containingvessels, and

connected in series by the strips L.

lilodilications may be made in details without departing from the spiritof theinvention.

For example, the battery-plates themselves may be of any suitabledescription.

In place of i'elt other soit material may be used.

.Portions of the invention may be used sep- `5o of the plates is thusavoided. rlhe rubber arately. For example, the general arrangeroo mentsomewhat resembling my own-that is a soa-10e ment of the plates could beused with a material other than glass or of other kind ol" glass.

The blown-glass vessels are best suited for small cells, say ten inchesin length. For large cells annealed cast glass may be used withadvantage.

The improved connecting means couldbe used in other cells, andotherconnecting means could be used in the improved cells, in eithercase apart only of the invention being cmployed. l

I am aware that heretofore elements or plates of secondary galvaniccells have been packed in containing-vessels of glass and othermaterials, and have been separated by felt, asbestus-board, or similarporous insulating vmaterial; also, that supports have been placed underthe lower edges of such plates or elements to raise them above thebottom of the containing-vessel; also, that in secondary cellscontaining a series of plates or elements arranged so that plates orelements of unlike name alternate, the connection of plates or elementsof like name with one another and with the exterior circuit has beenmade by an arrange- -to say, the plates of one name or polarity havetags at one endv and those of opposite naine or polarity have similartags at the opposite end of the cell. The tags at each end are then bentover toward the middle and a bindingpost is passed through them. Thispost screws down into a cross-piece of insulating material, and does notconsist of ascrew-pin projecting upward through the tags and providedwith two nuts, as in the present invention. Moreover, in this case thecell has no cover, and consequently the tags do not, as in the presacover to said vessel, a series ot' vertical plates or elements packed insaid vessel, and provided with tagsl extending through thecover andsecured thereto, and insulating-strips arranged transversely across thetop and bottom, substantially as described.

2'. A cell of secondary battery, comprising a containing-vessel, covertherefor, vertical plates or elements provided with tags projectingthrough the cover, electrical connectors for making connection with thesaid tags on the outside of the cover, insulating-strips at the bottomof the containing-vessel, extending transversely under the lower edgesof the plates or elements, and strips between the plates or elements forholding them apart, substantially as described.

'3. The combination, with the containingvessel and cover of a cell ofsecondary battery, of the plates or elements having tags or stripsprojecting through said cover, and the screwclamps and binding-posts forconnecting the plates of like name with each other and with the exteriorconductor, substantially as described.

4. The combination, with the strips or tags attached to or forming partof the batteryplates, of a pin inserted through the strips or tags orplates of like name, a nut on said pin for binding the strips or tagstogether, and an additional nut for attaching the exterior conductor,substantially as described.

5. A cell of secondary battery, comprising a glass containing-vesselpacked with two or more pairs of felt-incased plates separated from eachother by insulating-strips, so that liability of injury' to the glass ofthe containing-vessel from its tcontents is avoided, while free spacesare left for the escape of gases generated in the operation of thebattery, substantially as described. f

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presenceo1" two subscribing` witnesses.

WILLIAM LACHLAN.

lVitnesses:

VILLIAM I-I. CLARKsoN, JAMEs M. SULLrvAN.

